Understanding the Plane/Pilot Dynamic Objectively

[Zazen13]

That makes a lot of sense


Basically I will fly like crap and shoot poorly forever....at least I know now.

for a while I thought my ineptness was from not trying as hard as I could

now I realize I never had a chance to be the best.....but that's fine, I still have fun

and when all is said and done, that's the only reason I'm here.

The confrontational nature of AH makes performance disparities we would not think twice about in any non-confrontational activity seem far more important. As long as you are maximizing your effectiveness as much as possible while still having fun, you win! It's really that simple. Everything else is just noise.

I know many super aces who could fly me into the dirt 99/100 times, their effectiveness is ironclad, but they are miserable in the game. They want to have fun, but they seem to go out of their way to put themselves into bad situations then blame everyone else for what inevitably happens.

I also know many mediocre pilots who struggle for a moderate level of effectiveness they believe they should be capable of maintaining. But, they never lose sight of the element of fun. Unlike the first example, they discarded the worthless "hapless victim" mentality. To these folks any meager success is a source of much fun.

So, being the most talented/skilled can actually be your undoing, the high bar of effectiveness can cause them to get distracted by it and lose sight of the fun-factor. It's much more simple for the humble mediocre type to take things in stride and not let frustration ruin the fun of playing while still being as effective as realistically possible.

[Zazen13]

Zazen preach on my bruttha. 

I'm trying to not make this a sermon...Does it sound like preaching? I hope not...

[JB11]

I'm trying to not make this a sermon...Does it sound like preaching? I hope not...

I knew there was a reason i dropped in here every once in awhile.  I just knew someday, someone would post a thread that just tells it like it is and makes perfect sense.

You Da Man!!!!!   !!!!!!!!!!!

[Zazen13]

I knew there was a reason i dropped in here every once in awhile.  I just knew someday, someone would post a thread that just tells it like it is and makes perfect sense.

You Da Man!!!!!   !!!!!!!!!!!

Thank-Ya Sir!  I am living proof that even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then...

[John Curnutte]

Zazen , < S > on this post it helps me understand how lots of folks think about what they do in this game , as for me I'm the medicore at best but still when that every so often kill on some hot shot comes down and this little squirrell gets his beloved acorn , it tastes great and a big huge smile ( a S*** eatin grin if you will ) makes it all good in the world in which I live , and I still have fun , even though hot shot may get me 10 more times . Besides there are alot of very nice people I have met that makes this all worth it from all sides/countrys . Thanks for this Zazen.
                                                                Nutte

[NoBaddy]

I'm an example of another common type. By the 3rd day of playing AW I was making shots that made people shake their heads in awe. I was popping people from insane angles, never really having to outfly them to kill them.

I know that feeling. After 3 years, some folks were shaking their heads about my game play as well. They were wondering how anyone could suck that bad...and keep playing.

[crockett]

Good write up zazen, but does it make me a bad person if I enjoy making goon's lives miserable?

[WMLute]

I know that feeling. After 3 years, some folks were shaking their heads about my game play as well. They were wondering how anyone could suck that bad...and keep playing.

And some are still wondering.









(ducks)

[Zazen13]

Good write up zazen, but does it make me a bad person if I enjoy making goon's lives miserable?

So long as the goon driver has successfully reconciled conflict vs. fun it shouldn't be a problem...

[Zazen13]

Zazen , < S > on this post it helps me understand how lots of folks think about what they do in this game , as for me I'm the medicore at best but still when that every so often kill on some hot shot comes down and this little squirrell gets his beloved acorn , it tastes great and a big huge smile ( a S*** eatin grin if you will ) makes it all good in the world in which I live , and I still have fun , even though hot shot may get me 10 more times . Besides there are alot of very nice people I have met that makes this all worth it from all sides/countrys . Thanks for this Zazen.
                                                                Nutte

Exactly, I'm really glad you got that subtlety. Allow me to paint a picture for others who may not have...

It's kind of ironic but, the more effective you are the less being effective or increasing effectiveness tends to, in and of itself, create fun. It quickly reaches the point of diminishing returns in that respect. That's why a lot of really effective players get burned out and quit. Raising the bar of effectiveness is what they found fun, once they plateaued, while very effective, they stopped having fun. They could not find another fun motivation that could supplant the obsolete one, so they ultimately failed in keeping effectiveness & fun balanced.

The opposite is true for a person who is relatively inneffective. Not only does their effectiveness tend to increase at a faster rate per unit time, but even moderate, temporary success is a source of great fun. Because an ineffective player's fun is not not likely directly tied to "win/loss" outcomes they tend to have fun in a wider variety of ways and are largely immune to the "hapless victim syndrome" a more effective player is more apt to be prone to. Of course, there is always the possibility that the ineffective player is so much so for so long that they have a really hard time having fun and end up quitting in despair. But, in a game with as much diversity as AH, almost everyone finds something they find both fun and are effective enough at they can have fun doing it without getting that discouraged.

[FiLtH]

     I agree with ya about everyone being different. Like anything, some people have to work hard at it, where others it comes easy. Fly for what works for ya is fine, except I believe it should always be a challenge. If you start out in a LA7, or Zeke, and get good in it, challenge yourself in a different plane. Most of us older guys have done the "Kill em all" in a hotrod. How many can ya kill before it becomes stale? I think the best way to keep it exciting and challenging is finding a plane, that matches your style of flying, that teeters on the edge of success and failure, on every move you make. That keeps the player sharp, and also gives some of the newer guys a chance.

[Zazen13]

    I agree with ya about everyone being different. Like anything, some people have to work hard at it, where others it comes easy. Fly for what works for ya is fine, except I believe it should always be a challenge. If you start out in a LA7, or Zeke, and get good in it, challenge yourself in a different plane. Most of us older guys have done the "Kill em all" in a hotrod. How many can ya kill before it becomes stale? I think the best way to keep it exciting and challenging is finding a plane, that matches your style of flying, that teeters on the edge of success and failure, on every move you make. That keeps the player sharp, and also gives some of the newer guys a chance.

Some live the, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", saying. Some don't, some want to do something different all the time, it's what they find fun. So long as doing what you do is fun, "You Win!"

Here's an example that is actually true...

I go to a Mexican restaurant called, "On the Border". I love their Chicken Fajitas. I don't even look at the menu, I always get Chicken Fajitas. I've been going there once a week for over 10 years. I have no doubt their Enchiladas are tasty, I would probably enjoy those too. But, I am in a perfect state of happiness with the Chicken Fajitas. I look forward to them just as much this week as I did 10 years ago.

Some people would think I was a loony bird for always getting the same thing (my wife does). Some people would want to sample every dish on the menu. Some people would get burned out on Chicken Fajitas quickly and puke at the mere sight of them after awhile. I certainly wouldn't expect everyone else to only eat Chicken Fajitas. But, I also don't want to be told I have to eat something I potentially find less 'fun' to eat because it bothers you I always eat Chicken Fajitas.

[Dragon]

The opposite is true for a person who is relatively inneffective. Not only does their effectiveness tend to increase at a faster rate per unit time, but even moderate, temporary success is a source of great fun. Because an ineffective player's fun is not not likely directly tied to "win/loss" outcomes they tend to have fun in a wider variety of ways and are largely immune to the "hapless victim syndrome" a more effective player is more apt to be prone to. Of course, there is always the possibility that the ineffective player is so much so for so long that they have a really hard time having fun and end up quitting in despair. But, in a game with as much diversity as AH, almost everyone finds something they find both fun and are effective enough at they can have fun doing it without getting that discouraged.

Throw us a Scooby Snack every now and then and we will just keep smiling, trying, and flying.  Great post Zazen.

[SlapShot]

Excellent post Zaz ... probably the best you have ever posted.

I think that some of the angst that some bring to the BBS, in regards to "fighting", is that we (and I include myself) have a hard time understanding those who don't aspire to grab the "brass ring" ... or at least try to grab it.

"It's too hard (or their too lazy), so I just might as well run around straight at people and try to HO the crap out of them".

This, to me, is not a case of getting to a point of realization that they have maxed their own personal skills, but rather innate laziness.

I have always aspired to be able to beat the likes of Fester and Leviathn and "all be damned" in my personal pursuit. I use those two because that was the "who's who" of AH when I first started. I am sure there are many more, like you pointed out (Furball, Stang, etc), they could hand me my arse in seconds even tho I have many more hours into this game than them, but my original inspiration came from those 2.

There came a point, and it was quite awhile ago, that I realized that I just don't posses "what it takes" to get to that level ... and I am ok with that ... but on the other hand, every time I fly and run into guys that can beat me, I still work at what it will take to beat them. I am always looking for ways to improve.

I agree with all that you have said, but I would also like to feel that what you have portrayed is hopefully not condoning to give up on trying to always better yourself in this game.

[trigger2]

I think we would be making an incredible leap to say someone would necessarily translate their "antisocial" and "unsportsmanlike" activities to the real world.

.


For some reason I have a hard time seeing zerofire being 'social' and 'sportsmanlike'...even in the real world...